


Miscommunications at Home

by RedactedReader



Series: Zukka Week 2021 [4]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Katara & Zuko (Avatar) Friendship, Minor Aang/Katara, Miscommunication, Zukka Week 2021
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-26 17:08:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30109266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedactedReader/pseuds/RedactedReader
Summary: “Dad seems to be under the idea that you two are dating. And have been for years now. I just…” he waved a hand, smirking all the while. He didn’t think there was anything really going on between the pair, but was going to milk this misunderstanding for all he could. “I find it weird, that my dad thinks my sister is dating my boyfriend.”
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Zukka Week 2021 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2211480
Comments: 3
Kudos: 143





	Miscommunications at Home

**Author's Note:**

> Zukka Week Secret Dating

It had been almost two years since Sokka had managed to make it home for more than just a brief visit. It wasn’t his fault, in the four years since the war had ended he had been at the forefront of change, elbows deep in the world moving towards peace. He wasn’t complaining, especially whenever he could see the effects his actions have on making people’s lives better. 

His job as a Water Tribe delicate had taken him all over the Earth Kingdom and recently placed him within the Fire Nation palace. Looking across the party, spotting the Fire Lord in question, Sokka had to admit that there might have been a more personal reason to staying in the Fire Nation. Zuko was standing with Katara, both of them leaning close and sharing a drink. She threw her head back, socking him softly in the shoulder. He looked so at home standing in the Southern snow, wearing a deep blue parka and laughing with friends. It brought a smile to Sokka’s face to see.

“Zuko and your sister do get along quite well.” Hakoda was beside Sokka, offering his son a goblet of spiced wine. He took it, raising it in welcome before taking a drink. “I wonder when he’s going to propose.”

Sokka spit out the wine. He looked at his father with wide eyes. Wine was dripping from his chin. “Propose? What you talking about?”

Hakoda motioned towards the pair. “Your sister and the Fire Lord. They have been together almost four years now. Were you not aware?”

Sokka whipped the wine off his chin. “No. I did not know they were together. If you’ll excuse me, I should offer my congratulations.”

He crossed through the matted snow, weaving between the party goers with ease. Zuko and Katara looked up at him whenever he got to them, throwing him wide smiles. Sokka rolled his eyes at the two, motioning for them to follow. They did so, the trio leaving the outdoors and sliding into the family home. With the door shut, Sokka sighed, throwing the pair a raised brow at the pair. “So, when you proposing to me sister, Sparky?”

Zuko’s gaze narrowed in confusion. He looked at Katara before turning back to her brother. “What are you talking about?” 

Katara was annoyed. “Seriously? What are you going on about?”

“Dad seems to be under the idea that you two are dating. And have been for years now. I just…” he waved a hand, smirking all the while. He didn’t think there was anything really going on between the pair, but was going to milk this misunderstanding for all he could. “I find it weird, that my dad thinks my sister is dating my boyfriend.”

Zuko and Katara shared a look of confusion. After a moment, realization seemed to dawn on them. Zuko ran a hand down his face. “Fuck. I forgot.”

“I thought he would have forgotten by now.” Katara was pinching the bridge of her nose. “I mean, its not like I really told dad much about us to start with.”

“You didn’t tell him about Aang?”

“No! That’s what all of this was about. You didn’t tell him about Sokka.”

Zuko sputtered in indignation. “We were gonna say something about it while here. Figured it would be safe to do so.”

“Hold on, hold on.” Sokka waved at the two, getting them to stop. “What are you talking about? Did you tell dad you were dating?”

Zuko pointed at Katara, “it was her. I was blackmailed into it.”

Katara gasped at him. “Fuck you. You agreed to the deal. And it’s kept the council off your back.”

“Actually it hasn’t. They went from trying to force a random wife onto me, to trying to find a, in their words, ‘more suitable women’.”

“More suitable? I am very suitable. I would have made a great Fire Lady.”

A heavy sigh escaped Sokka’s lips. “Can someone explain what you’re going on about, cause I’m starting to feel like I’m third wheeling on my own relationship.”

Throwing him an apologetic look, Katara explained, “dad wasn’t too big on the idea of me being off with Aang on my own. I told him over and over again that I could handle myself. Avatar or not, I would kick Aang’s ass easily. Not that I would have to, Aang is sweet and lovely and treats me wonderfully. But he’s a boy and I’m a girl and we were both young and all those puberty hormones and dad was still in that ‘need to make up for lost father/daughter time’ mood he was in, and really didn’t want us traveling together. So I assured him he had nothing to worry about.”

Sokka was beginning to catch on. He swirled the wine in his goblet slowly. “So you told him you were dating Zuko?”

“Yes. I may have told him that there was nothing going on between me and Aang because Aang was crushing on someone else and I… I was kind of involved with Zuko. It wasn’t anything serious and were taking it long distance and Aang respected my feelings and wouldn’t risk our friendship being being inappropriate.” 

“You and Aang sucked face while in Ba Sing Se.”

“Exactly. Dad would have thrown a hissy fit if he knew I was planning on traveling the world, unaccompanied with my boyfriend. So I told a minor lie.”

“Minor,” Sokka repeated, turning his gaze onto Zuko. “And you went with this?”

“I didn’t have a choice.” Zuko downed the rest of his wine, setting the goblet onto a table. “She cornered me and told me what had happened. And I just went along. And then after Mai and I broke up, the council started harassing me about finding someone to marry. And then I remembered Katara and her idea, and told them that I was seeing someone. That is was long distance and that we were good friends and taking it slow. They took it upon themselves to think I was talking about Katara.”

Sokka looked at the pair with a tight frown. After a moment, his lips broke into a smile and he started laughing. The laugh was heavy in his throat. It took several moments for it to calm back now. “You know, that’s too funny. Just too funny. We should probably tell dad though before he starts taking Zuko out for premarital hunting.”

“So ya... I never dated Zuko. Sokka has been though. Love you dad. Bye.” Katara kissed her father’s cheek, rushing out of the house. The three men were left there watched her leave before turning to each other.

Hakoda looked the boys over, taking note of how close they were sitting on the couch. Plus the fact that their hands were intertwined between them. He was processing all of this; the year long lie, and the actual partners his children had been with. “So, you two have been together?”

Sokka looked at Zuko before nodding. “About a year officially.” 

“And why didn’t you tell me?”

Rubbing the back of his neck, Sokka looked at his father. “Honestly, because we weren’t telling anyone. The Fire Nation is still a little hesitant about this sort of thing, and Zuko’s had enough problems I didn’t want to be another one for him.”

Zuko squeezed his hand. “You’ve never been a problem.”

“Maybe,” Sokka countered, “but we both agreed that the council is insane about him finding a wife and producing an heir and all that shit. Not to mention how fucking racist some of them still are. Keeping it secret was easier. Especially since we could just be ourselves with each other, and not worry about politics and all that getting in the way.”

It made sense to Hakoda. He’d dealt with the rest of the world enough to know how much they looked down their noses at the Southern Water Tribe. “By why didn’t you tell me? 

“I haven’t been home in awhile to tell you. It really wasn’t something I could just tell you over a letter. Plus...” Sokka had never hesitated to tell his dad what was on his mind before, so he took a deep breath and did so, “I wasn’t sure how you’d react. It’s not exactly a ‘normal’ thing in the Water Tribes either, being with a guy.”

Hakoda stood up from his chair, motioning for Sokka to do the same. With both of them standing, Hakoda grabbed his son, pulling him into a tight embrace. “I love you, son. And whoever you chose to be with, I will love them too.”  
Sokka squeezed his father tighter. Hakoda let a relaxed sigh pass through his lips. He looked at the boy still seated on the couch. Opening his arm, he made it clear for him to join. Zuko did so, finding himself crushed within the fatherly embrace. After several moments, they broke apart. 

With both boys still within arms reach, Hakoda leveled his gaze directly at Zuko. “I have to ask, why let this lie concerning Katara go on?”

“Honestly,” Zuko rubbed the back of his neck, looking away, “I had forgotten she told you that. Plus, I figured she would have come clean by this point. I mean, her and Aang are all over each other. She’s not been hiding it.”

Hakoda thought back to all the interactions he’d had with his daughter and the Avatar. A lot of things clicked into place. “Avatar or not, I’m going to kill that boy.”


End file.
